Repeating device for talking-machines



G. F. VOITH.

RE'PEATING DEVICE FOR TALKING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED 0011,1920.

1 885,,U56 Patented July m 1921 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

flkwge E with WITNESSES INVENTOR,

A TTORNEY G. F. VOITH.

REPEATING DEVICE FOR TALKING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1, 1920.

Patented July- 19 19211,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEY GEORGE F. VOITH, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

REPEATIJSI'G DEVICE FOR TALKING-MACHINES.

essons.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11.9, 1921..

Application filed October 1, 1920. Serial No. 413,989.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. VorrH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRepeating Devices for Talking-Machines, of which the following is aspeclfication.

One object of my present invention is to provide a repeating device ofthe same general character as that disclosed in my U. S. Patents, Nos.'1,248,0 l1 of Nov. 27, 1917, and 1,349,240 of Aug. 10, 1920, whichwill in clude improved means for controlling the transfer of thereproducing element of a talking machine so that said reproducingelement may be quickly transferred from one playing groove of a recordto another playing groove so that the device is particularly useful forplaying dance music where no extended interruption of the playing isdesired even though the record is not completely reproduced for. eachrepeating action of the device.

Another object is to provide means whereby the device will remain inoperative position upon the center post of the turntable even thoughsaid center post is exceptionally short and does not protrude far beyondthe surface of the record.

Another object is to make my invention of a simple yet durableconstruction which can be qulckly and easily manufactured.

These objects, and other advantageous ends which will be describedhereinafter, l attain in the following manner, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of arepeating device made in accordance with my present invention,

2 is a fragmentary elevation looking in direction of the arrow w in Fig.1 and drawn on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 33 of Fig.1,

Fig. 4.- is a fragmentary perspective view showing certain the needlecontrolling elements in an inverted position,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view showing a slight modification ofcertain of the parts illustrated in Fig. 1 and 6 is a fragmentary'topplan view showing a slight modification of the which connect with thecenter post of the turntable.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, myimproved repeating device includes a plate 7 having a hole 8 thereinthrough which the center post of a talking machine is adapted to projectand I preferably provide a disk 9 having a hole 10 (see Fig. 3) inregister with the hole '8. The disk 9 has upwardly projecting hookedarms 11 which freely pass through slots 12 in the plate 7 so that whilethe hooked arms connect the disk 9 to the plate 7 they will permit theplate 7 to tilt slightly, for reasons hereinafter obvious, withoutcompletely detaching the device from the center post which passesupwardly through the holes 10 and 8; it being noted that even though theplate 7 tilts, the disk 9 will remain fiat upon the record so that ifthe post is short and the plate 7 tilts to a position above the top ofthe post, the post will still remain in the hole 10 of the disk 9. Theslots 12 are made sufficiently large to permit this tilting action.

The plate 7 supports a number of guide rails 13 which are preferablymade in the form of partial spirals and these guide rails are made inthe same manner and for the same purpose as disclosed in my abovementioned patents; the rails being operative to be engaged by any partsuch as 26 which is connected to the sound box and which is capable ofspanning or bridging the upper edges of said rails so that the railswill move the sound box in a direction away from the center of therecord toward the initial playing grooves of the record. An arm 14 ofthe plate 7 has portions 15 which embrace a casing 16; said casingforming a guideway fe l a flattened tube 17 which extends inwardly andat its innermost portion is provided with a beveled end surface 18. Thistube 17 has a wire 18 secured therein provided with points 19 as clearlyshown in Figs. 2 and said points 19 being the grooves of the record andduring the rotation of the record will, due to their engagement with thegrooves of the record, automatically slide the tube 1i" toward thecenter of the record until the points 19 reach the innermost groove ofthe record and thereby stop further inward movement of the tube Thesepoints 19 made comadapted to engage into will hereinafter eled surface22 extending at a slant away from the edge 23 of the casing 16; saidcasing 16 is cut away at a slant as shown at 24 and it will be notedthat during the playing of a record, a part of the sound box orreproducing element will be engaged by the edge 23 of the casing and asthe record is played, the sound box and cooperating parts will movealong the edge 23 onto the edge 25 of the tube 17 and then in engagementwith the beveled surface 18 and the pressure exerted against saidsurface 18 will cause the flattened tube 17 to be moved outwardly tofree the reproducing parts, after which the entire device will rotatewith the record and the part 26 will be engaged and lifted by the endportions 27 of the rails 13 in the same manner as described inconnection with my above mentioned patents and the sound box andreproducing elements will be moved by said rails in a direction awayfrom the center of the record and since the buffer 20 is in line withthe ends 21 of the rails 13, the buffer 20 will be engaged initially bysaid reprodu cing parts as they leave the control of the rails 13 andthe beveled end of the buffer will be bent so as to,permit thereproducing parts to again engage the edge 23 to again cause the playingof the record. The beveled surface 18 is preferably made at such anglethat when the reproducing element engages it to push the tube 17outward, the reproducing portion of the sound box will still be in oneof the playing grooves of the record. During the outward movement of theflattened tube 17 due to the engagement of the reproducing elements withthe edge 18, the points 19 will be automatically pulled out of thegrooves immediately adjacent the inner part of the record and in thismanner the reproducing needle of the talking machine will release the device before the record. has been entirely played. In order to insurethat the recordengagin t reproducing element is transferred outward y toa playing groove of the record. I provide a switch 28 w ich is pivotedat 29 on the arm 19; said switch being adapted to be manually moved onits pivot to bring its end 5G into engagement with the outer rail andcause said outer rail to be bent slightly inward and thus deflect therecord-- engaging reproducing element to any one of the outer playinggrooves of the record.

Fig. 5 in dotted lines shows the switch 28 having been moved into suchposition.

It will be understood that the flattened tube 17 is freely slidablewithin the casing 16; the parts being made of such material as will notcause great friction therebetween. In other words it requires a veryslight push of the flattened tube to slide the same within the casing.The only friction which must be overcome is the friction caused by thepoints 19 in being moved laterally across the grooves of the record. Inactual practiee 1 have found that a device constructed as abovedescribed when placed upon a record will automaticall cause the movementof the tube 17 inwar ly due to the engagement of the points 19 in thegrooves of the record and that when the reproducing parts or part of thetalking machine engages the beveled surface 18 that the tube 17 will beslid outwardly to release itself from said reproducing element and therepeating action will take place just before the record has beencompletely played. If it is desired to completely play a record theswitch 28 can be moved into its normal position as shown in Fig. 1 and aslide strip 31 within the tube 17 can be moved outwardly so that its end32 will project beyond the beveled surface 18. When this action occursthe device will not be released from the reproducing parts until thereproducing parts have passed beyond the outer end 32 of the strip 31after which the device will be released and will rotate with the recordto cause the groove-engaging reproducing element to be transferred againto an outer groove of the record. After the rotation of the device itwill engage the reproducing portion of the machine as above specifiedand the rotation of the device will be stopped. This stopping action maycause a slight tilting of the device but in view of the provision of thedisk 9 as above described, this tilting action will not be suf- 11oficient to release the device from the center post even though thecenter post does not project far above the record.

1n Fi 5 I have illustrated a construction in whici the casing andflattened tube is 115 eliminated and I have substituted a single slidestrip 31 which is slidably connected to the arm 1-1 and it will be notedthat with this construction the reproducing portions of the talkingmachine will be engaged by 120 the strip 31 and after said reproducinportions have freed the outer end 33 of said strip 31 the device willoperate to repeat in the same manner as above described.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated a construction 125 in which the plate 7instead of a single hole 8 may be provided i a slot having individuallycurved s 8 arranged side by side, each of wt capabie of re-' ceiving thecenter post of a talking machine 130 turntable so that the same devicecan be used for records of different sizes. In all other respects theconstruction shown in Fig.

6 is similar to that described in connection with the previouslydescribed figures and I have given similar arts corresponding referencenumerals. owever, it will be understood that if desired the disk 9 canbe omitted in all the forms of my present invention where the turntablecentral post protrudes far enough to permit a slight tilting of thedevice without detaching itself from the plate 7 It will of course beunderstood that if the disk 9 is used in connection with the slot 34that it will have registering curved portions with the parts 8 abovedescribed.

While I have described my invention as taking a particular form, it willbe understood that the various parts of my invention may be changedwithout departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limitmyself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am atliberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within thescope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, whatclaim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. A device of the character describedincluding a transfer portion for a reproducing element; and a switch formoving said transfer portion; substantially as described.

2. A device of the character described including a transfer portionincluding a flexible rail; and a switch for moving said rail out of itsnormal transfer position; substantially as describe 3. A deviceof thecharacter described including a supporting structure; a transfer rail;and a switch pivoted on the support, ing stFucture and adapted to movethe transfer rail out of its normal position; substantially asdescribed.

4. A record repeating device of the character described 'including atransferring portion for the reproducing means of a talking machine andincluding a slidable member for abutment with said reproducing means,said member having a portion adapted to engage the grooves of a recordto cause said member'to be automatically moved into a position to efiecta release of the device at a predetermined position from abutment withsaid reproducing means; substantially as described.

5. A record repeating device of the character described including atransferring ortion for the reproducing means of a tal ing machine andincludin a casing; a member freely slidable in said casing for abutmentwith said reproducing means, said member having a beveled end surface;and means adapted to engage the grooves of a record to cause said memberto be automatically moved into a position to effect a release of thedevice when said reproducing means engages said beveled end surface toeffect the sliding of said member to free the device of said reproducingmeans; substantially as described.

6. A record repeating device of the character described including atransferring portion for the reproducing means of a talking machine andincluding a casing; a member freely slidable in said casing for abutmentwith said reproducing means, said member having a beveled end surface;means adapted to engage the grooves of a record to cause said member tobe automatically moved into a position to effect a release of the devicewhen said reproducing means engages said beveled end surface to efiectthe sliding of said member to free the device of said reproducing means;and a slidably mounted strip optionally movable into a position to forman extended guide for the reproducing means to prevent said latter meansfrom moving said first member; substantially as described.

7. A record repeating device of the character described includingatransferring portion for the reproducing means of a talking machine andincluding, a casing; a member freely slidable in said casingforab'utment with said reproducing means, said member having abeveled-end surface; means adapted to engage the grooves of a record tocause said member to be automatically moved into a position to-efiectarelease of the device when said reproducing means engages said beveledend surface to effect the sliding of said member to free the device ofsaid reproducing means; and a slidably mounted strip optionally movableinto a position to render said latter movement of said memberinefi'ective, said strip being positioned within said member;substantially as described.

-8. A device of the character described including transferring means forthe reproducing means of a talking machine and including means adaptedfor abutment with the reproducing means during the playing of therecord; and a buffer interposed between said transferring means andabutment means whereby the reproducing means will first be engaged bysaid buffer after being released from the transfer means and then slidefrom said buffer onto said abutment means; substantially as described.

9. A device of the character described including transferring means forthe reproducing means of a talking machine and including means adaptedfor abutment with the reproducing means during the playing of therecord; and a bufi'er interposed between said transferring mea'ns andabutment means whereby the reproducing means will first be engaged bysaid bufifer after being released from the transfer means and then slidefrom said buffer onto said abutment means, said buifer having aresilient beveled portion movable by contact with the reproducing meanstoward said abutment means; substantially as described.

10. A device of the character described including a plate; transferringmeans supported by the plate; and means flexibly connected to said plateand having a hole therein for engagement with the turntable post of atalking machine; substantially as de scribed. a

11. A device of the character described including a plate having slotstherein; transferri'ng means supported by said plate;

means having a hole therein for engagement over the turntable post of atalking machine, said latter means having parts flexibly connected tosaid plate through the medium of said slots whereby said plate can tiltwith out disengaging said latter means from said post; substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE F. VOITH.

Witnesses:

Aueus'rus B. CoPrAs, KATHRYN A. SUMMERS.

